1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to stationary beer containers and more specifically to stationary beer container having a fluid flow system using a standard beer tap head for filling the container with beer, dispensing beer from the container, and cleaning the container.
2. History of the Prior Art
Generally, stationary beer containers are located in the basement of a cafe, restaurant, or the like. Such beer containers are filled from tank cars. When a stationary beer container is emptied, a new full container is connected by disconnecting the empty container from the beer line between the container and the dispensing location and reconnecting the line to a full container. Additionally, a line between carbon dioxide cylinders used to supply flow pressure must be connected from the empty container and reconnected to the full container, as disclosed in Dutch patent application No. 6401781. From time to time the empty containers have to be cleaned with water and organic cleaning liquid, for which flow couplings are necessary to conduct the cleaning liquid and rinsing water to and from the container. Connecting and reconnecting flow couplings with such containers is time consuming and provides chances for mistakes in making the connections.
The use of a stationary beer container having a capacity, for example, of 1000 liters is preferable to the use of movable barrels having a capacity of only 50 liters. Where beer consumption is large and beer barrels are stored in a basement it is necessary for someone to go to the basement to connect a new barrel, during which time it is not possible to draw and dispense beer. The cleaning of empty barrels is done at a brewery and, thus, an innkeeper is not required to do the cleaning.
Connection with a new beer barrel for dispensing beer is much more simple than the switching between an empty stationary container and a full stationary container because of the fact that a tap rod is connected into the bung hole of the barrel. The tap rod comprises a vertical tube extending within the barrel to the bottom thereof. The upper end of the tap rod is closed by an end wall. Below the end wall openings providing an outlet into a space above the upper end of the tube around which a funnel shaped housing is provided. The space between the tube and the housing is closed by a rubber sleeve around the tube pressed outwardly by spring pressure so that the opening, and thus, the barrel interior is closed with respect to the space above the barrel as, for example, shown in Dutch patent application Nos. 6910931 and 7806761. To make a connection with a beer barrel, a beer line is provided with a tap head that has a connection to a carbon dioxide cylinder or other gas under pressure. The mounting of the tap head on the tap rod provides a connection between the carbon dioxide cylinder and the beer barrel and between the beer barrel and a beer dispensing tap, present at the location of use. By pressing downwardly on the tap head lever, the rubber sleeve is moved downwardly on the tube against the action of the spring, uncovering the openings in the line in the tube of the tap rod connecting the tube in the beer barrel to the tap, as illustrated in Dutch patent application No. 7806761. Innkeepers are accustomed to working with such tap heads so that no errors are made when the barrels are so connected.